Nut-lock.



C. H. FERGUSON.

NUT LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED 0012.22, 190e.

91 3,486. Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

A TTOHNEYS ES PATENT QFFICE.

CHARLES H. FERGUSON, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

NUT-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Application iiled October 22, 1908. Serial No. 459,081.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES I-I. FERGU- SON, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Nut-Lock, oi which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention vrelates to certain improvements innut locks, and more particularly to a special construction whereby an ordinary nut may be lockedto an ordinary lbolt or to a second nut, without necessitating any changes whatsoever in the construction of either the nut or bolt.

My im roved mechanism involves two plates an a washer, which when properly adjusted, serve, in connection with the bolt and nut, to perform all of the functions of an ordina nut lock.

'lherdyev'ice may be employed for locking a nut to a plain threaded bolt or to a bolt having a sphneway,or two nuts may be locked together but independently of a direct lockin action on'the bolt.

eference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Fi re 1 is a side elevation oia bolt provide with 'my improved nut locking means, the mechanism being employed to lock togethertwo nuts; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section ofthe device shown in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section throu h my improved device when used for loc ing a nut to a s lined bolt; lFig. 4 is a longitudinal section t rough my improved device, showing it emplo ed for securing a nut to an ordinary bolt, t e parts being in the position occupied before the nut is tightened; Fig. 5 is a view similar `to Fig. 4 but showing the nut in a tightened position; Figs. 6 and 7 are face views of the two plates employed in my nut lock; Fig. 8 is a face view of a washer ada ted for use 1n connection with an ordinary olt; and Fig. 9 is a face View of a washer adapted for use 1n connection with a splined bolt.

For performing all oi the functions of which my nut lock is capable, I rovide four separate pieces, including two p ates 10 and 11 and two washers 12 and 13. The two plates may be used together without either washer or may be used in connection with either washer, depending upon the conditions under which the nut lock is used. The plate 10 is substantially circular in form and is provided with a series of pointed teeth 14 upon one face thereof and disposed adjacent the periphery. This plate has a central aperture 15y to receive the bolt, and in the face oi' said plate opposite said teeth is a recess 16, preferably hexagonal in form and oi uni.- form depth. The recess may be formed by stamping, in which case there will be a projection 17 similar in iorm to the recess and extending outwardly from the opposite side oi the plate so that the peripheral portion will constitute a flange. The teeth 14 are cut in this flange and extend partly into the face opposite to the recess and partly into the circumferential face, but do not extend all the way 'through the plate; thus they are protected against injury or against being broken oil by careless or rough treatment. Theplate 11 is also circular and of substantially the same diameter as the plate 10, and adjacent the periphery are two spring tongues 18 stamped vfrom the material forming the plate and bent out of the plane of the late. These tongues are cut at their ends so as to it the teeth of the opposite plate, as shown particularly in Fig. 1, and the resiliency of the tongue is such that when the plates are brought into engagement with each other, the tongues will engage with the teeth with considerable pressure. The plate 11 is provided with a recess 19 similar to the recess 16, and as this recess is preferably formed by stamping there is a corresponding projection 20 extending outwardly from the opposite side of the plate. The plate has a central aperture 21 to receive the bolt, and about this aperture are provided a series of notches 22 spaced equal distances apart and extendin wholly or partially through the plate. he inner surface oi each notch is inclined, as illustrated particularly in Figs. 4 and 5, so that each notch is deeper at the side of the plate having the recess 19 than it is at the opposite side of the plate. The two main recesses 16 and 19 of the two plates are of such a size and `liorm as to receive the ends of two nuts or to receive the washers 12 and 13.

If it is desired to lock together two nuts on a bolt the parts may be assembled substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In these'iigures I have shown an ordinary bolt A and two ordinary nuts B and C. Une of these nuts is screwed onto the bolt to the desired distance and the onto the bolt until the nut B enters the recess 16 in the plate. The plate 11 -is then slipped onto the bolt and-the nut C is screwed on and tted into the recess in the plate 11. The plate 10 isv now held against rotation in respect to the nut B and the plate 11 is held against rotation in respect to the nut C. By tightening the nut the two plates are rotated in respect to each other until they come closely together, and the tongues 18 will have resilient engagement with the teeth 14 and the tWo nuts Will become wedged together, so that one cannot rotate independently of the other.

In case itis desired to lock a single nut on the bolt and case the bolt is provided with a spline-way or groove, I use in connection with the two plates 10 and 1l the washer 13, as shown 'in Fig. 9. This washer is of such size and thickness that it may enter the recess in either of the plates and lie flush with the outer surface thereof. The washer has one or more inwardly projecting lugs 23 which may enter the spline-ways of the bolt. When the Washer 13 is used the parts are assembled substantially as shown 1n Fig. 3,

in which igure I have illustrated a bolt A having two spline ways or longitudinal rooves A2 and a single ordinary nut B.

he Washer 13 is rst laced on the bolt with thelugs 23 entering the spline-ways and the washer is brought against the shoulder on the bolt or against the material through which the bolt passes. The plate 10 is then placed inosition with the washer 13 in the recess of t e plate, and the plate 11 and the nut B are placed on the bolt with the nut entering th recess of the plate. Upon tightening the nut the engagement of the tongues 18 with the teeth will prevent loosening of the nut, as the nut cannot turn in respect to the plate 11, the plate 11 cannot turn in respect to the plate 10 and the latter is held against rotation in respect to the'bolt by the Washer 13.

In case it is desired to employ my improved device on a bolt having no splineway, I employ a washer 12, as shown in Fig. 8. This washer is of the same size and thickness as the Washer 13, but instead of being provided with inwardly-extending lugs 23, 1t is provided with longitudinally-extending lugs 24, dis osed about the 4central aperture in the waslrher. These lugs correspond in number and position to the recesses 22 of the plate 11 and are of a length substantially equal tothe thickness of the plate 11 and of a thickness substantially equal to the depth of the recesses 22 at their larger ends. In using this washer the parts are assembled substantially as shown 1n Figs. 4

and 5. The Washer 12 and the plates 11 and 10 are placed on the bolt in the order named and the nut B is turned to position plate 10 is slipped nut and the teeth travel over the 'The with the inner 'end thereof extending into the recess of the plate 10. As the nut is tightened the plate 10 is rotated with thc tongues 1 8. late 11 is forced onto the v. asher 12 and t 1e projections 24 enter the recesses 22. Due to the inclined inner surfaces of these recesses, the forcing of the washer and the plate together causes the lugs to be bent lnwardly into engagement with the thread of the bolt, so as to becore partially. mutilated or to partially mutilate the threads of the bolt. When the nut has been tightened to osition, the parts will occupy substantial y the position shown in Fig. 5. The nut and the two plates are locked together and the plate 11 is locked to the bolt by'the wedging action of the lugs 24 against the v threads.

The main advantage of my improved nut lock is that it may be used in connection With an ordinary bolt and an ordinary nut, and no changes whatsoever are required in either.

The device may be used for various different purposes, and works equally Well with bolts having spline-waysor those withoutl spline-Ways.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A nut lock, including a late having a non-circular recess in one ace thereof and a peripheral flange in 'the plane of the face of the plate having said recess, said flange having a series of notches cut therein partly in the face opposite to said recess andpartly in the circumferential face, so as to form a plurality of teeth and leave a part of theperipheral face unbroken, a second plate having a non-circular recess in onev face thereof and having a peripheral flange lying in the plane of the face having said recess, a portion of said flange being cut to forni a tongue dis osed out of the plane of the remainder of t 1e flange and adapted to engage withI the teeth of the first-mentioned plate to prevent relative rotation of said plates when said plates are adjacent to or in engagement with each other, and 'members adapted for entry within said recesses and held against relative rotation by said plates.

2. The combination with a nut and a bolt, of tWo plates each having a non-circular recess in one face thereof, a Washer for engagement in the recess of one of said plates for locking said plate to the bolt, and the recess in the other of said plates being adapted to receive the nut to hold said flast-mentioned plate and nut against relative rotation, and means for restricting the rotation of one' plate in respect to the other.

3. A nut lock, comprising a plate havin a non-circular recess in one face thereof an one face thereof and a tongue extending outwardly from the opposite face to en age with the teethof the rst-mentioned p ate,

and a Washer ada ted to {it within the recess of one of sai plates to lock the latter to the bolt, and the recess of the other of said plates being adapted to receive the. nut to hold said last-mentioned plate and the nut against relative rotation.

4. A nut lock, comprising a plate having a recess in one face thereof and having a central aperture to receive a bolt, a plurality of smaller recesses about said central aperture, a washer adapted to enter within said rstmentioned recess and having outwardlyextending lugs or projections adapted to enter said smaller recesses, a second plate adapted for engagement with the rst-Inentioned plate, means forretarding the relative rotation of the plates, and a nut for engagement with the last-mentioned plate, and means for holding the nut `against rotation in respect to the plate.

In testimony whereof` I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribm Witnesses.

CHA LES H. FERGUSON.

Witnesses:

ANNA D. FERGUSON, ANTHONY DUYER, Jr. 

